Lock mechanism



Aprii 26, 1949. R. w. SPRINGER LOCK MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 19, 1945 INVENTOR. W1; /rz'n ez anew/ 1;

April 26, 1949- R. w. SPRINGER 2,468,644

Locx MECHANISM Filed Feb. 19, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 26, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCK MECHANISM Ray W. Springer, Detroit, Mich.

Application February 19, 1945, Serial No. 578,863

Claims. 1

This invention relates to improved lock mechanism and particularly to lock mechanism provided for use upon vehicle doors such as the door of an automobile.

An object is to provide lock mechanism which constitutes an improvement upon and a modification of the lock mechanism disclosed in my U. S. Patents Numbers 2,218,183, October 15, 1940, and 2,322,892, June 29, 1943.

The instant lock mechanism is designed to provide simple and inexpensive door lock mechanism of sturdy construction which is controlled by easily operable push button assemblies, one upon the inside and the other upon the outside of the door. The outer push button assembly is keycontrolled and it is only through its use that the door can be looked after one leaves the vehicle. When one is inside of the vehicle the door may be locked through manual operation of the push button assembly accessible from the inside of the vehicle.

An object is to provide door lock mechanism of the character described with push button controls as described whereby the door may be locked from the inside against unauthorized entrance by rotation of the inside push button and may be unlocked to permit one to leave the car by rotation and depression of the inner push button. If the inner push button has not been rotated to lock the door against unauthorized entrance by depression of the outer push button or if the outer push button has not been key rotated to the locked position, the lock mechanism is held positively latched until one of the push buttons is depressed to release the latch to open the door.

A further object is to provide an assembly of the character described wherein a locking element is'normally spring held to prevent rotatable withdrawal of the latch plate which would permit opening of the door and this locking element is adapted to be actuated by depression of either push button to permit rotatable withdrawal of the latch plate.

The inner push button is coupled with the locking element by a rotatable and axially shiftinadvertently lock oneself out of the vehicle 2 through locking the door upon leaving the car merely by manipulation of the inner push button assembly. Upon leaving the car the door can be locked only by key rotation of the outer push button.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious features of this invention will more fully appear from the following specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view through the improved lock mechanism mounted upon a door assembly and taken on the line ll of Figure 2 and showing the latch plate held agains withdrawal rotation.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through th improved lock mechanism mounted upon a door assembly taken on the line 2-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to the view of Figure 2 and'taken on the section line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the inner push button assembly taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5'is a vertical sectional view, mostly in elevation, taken on the section line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the section line BB of Figure 2 showing the striker assembly in elevation.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on substantially the same line as Figure 1 showing the latch plate rotatably withdrawn as the door is being opened.

This improved lock mechanism is designed particularly to be used in connection with doors such as are found on automobile bodiess In the several views of the drawing a portion of the automobile door is indicated as It and is shown as supporting the lock mechanism proper. The adjacent body pillar which constitutes the jamb face of the door frame is indicated as I! and is shown 18 and held by a suitable spring 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 in any convenient fm'anneat'o be projected outwardly as shown-in Figures 1 and l.

The front face of the striker assembly is cut away as at 22 (Figures 1, 6 and 7) to permit projection of the catch portion of a latch plate through such opening as shown in Figures 1 and 2 to engage the projecting striker element It as shown in Figure 1. The face of the striker housing which is opposite the lock mechanism is also shown as bevelled as illustrated in Figure 1. The striker housing is also provided with a recess 24 shown in Figure 6 which is adapted to receive astationary projection 26 on the face of the door to line up the door lock mechanism with the striker plate assembly and to take the weight of the door therefrom.

The lock mechanism proper is shown as mounted within the door I8 and comprises a frame plate 28 which may be secured to the inner surface of the jamb face plate of the door assembly as by screws 38 or the like as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A housing or frame 32, which carries the rotatable latch plate, is shown inv Figure 3 as secured by screws 34 or the like to the plate 28. This housing 32 is generally U-shaped in cross section and carries a pin 35 upon which a latch plate 38 is pivotally mounted as shown in Figures 1 and 7.

This latch plate has a reduced portion intermediate its upper and lower surface about which is wound a spring 40, Figures 1, 3 and 7. One end 42 of this spring engages a shoulder .of the latch plate as shown in Figures 1 and 7. The opposite end 44 of this spring engages the stop part 45 of the housing 32 as shown in Figures 1 and '7. This spring serves to exert rotatable torque upon the latch plate tending to hold a catch portion 46 of the latch plate projected through the opening 22 in the striker housin and in engagement with the striker element l6 as shown in Figure 1. This spring normally holds the latch plate in the projected position shown in Figural at which position a shoulder 48 on the latch plate is engaged against the stop 45 of the housing 32. The

latch plate has a secondary catch 41 which is a safety catch to engage the striker element l6 should the catch 46 become released therefrom.

It will be apparent that if the latch plate were held against rotation merely by the spring 40 that the door might be opened by exerting outward pressure thereon which would cause the latch plate to rotate counter clockwise against the tension of its spring 40 and permit the opening of the door. Means is provided however to hold the latch plate at the projected position. This means is here illustrated as in the form of a looking element 58 pivoted at 52 upon a pin, screw or the like to the plate 28 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. This locking element 50 is held, as shown in Figure 3, by a spring 54 to be swung counter clockwise about its pivot 52 to normally lie back of a shoulder portion 56 formed on the latch plate, as shown in solid line in Figures 1 and 3 to prevent withdrawal rotation of the latch plate. This swingable locking element 58 has a pair of wings 53 bent inwardly therefrom, as shown in'Figures 1, 3 and 7, and it is this portion of the element 50 which lies back of the shoulder 56 of the latch plate.

It is apparent that the spring 54 will normally hold the swingable locking element 50 to prevent rotation of the latch plate to release it from the striker element "5. Means are provided however to swing this locking element 58 against its spring to release the latch plate to rotation. Upon the inside of the door such means is in the form of a manually operable rotatable depressible push button assembly which is normally flush with the inner face of the door and which is coupled with the swingable locking element 50 to swing the same against its spring. Upon the exterior surface of the door such means is in the form of a manually operable key-controlled rotatable depressible push button assembly which is normally substantially flush with the exterior surface of the door and which is coupled with the swingable element 58 to swing the same against its'spring. This construction therefore eliminates the necessity of providing any projecting manually operable handles upon the outslde or inside surface of the door.

To swing the locking element 50 to release the latch plate to withdrawal rotation there is provided upon the inside of the door a push button assembly which is adapted to be depressed to rotate a rod 68 which rod carries an arm 62 which arm has a portion 64 that is received between the wings 53 of the swingable lock element 50 to rock such element counter its spring 54. The rod 68 is journaled at one end within the plate 28 as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and the opposite end is journaled within a pair of arms 66 formed on a housing 68 which housing carries the inner push button assembly. This housing 68 may be secured to the inner door panel III by screws 10 or the like as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5.

This rod 60 is not only journaled for rotation to swing the locking element 58 but is axially shiftable to hold the locking element 50 against swingable movement. It will be seen that the housing 32 is provided with spaced apart upper and lower flanges H, positioned above and below the wings 53 of the element 58. The upper flange is cut out or notched as at 13 (Figures 2 and 3) and when the rod 60 is shifted axially toward the striker assembly a portion of the arm 62" is projected into this notch 13 as shown in dotted outline in Figure 2 and therefore locks the swingable element 50 against swingable movement. When the rod 601s withdrawn axially inwardly to the position shown in solid line in Figure 2 the arm 62 is withdrawn out of the notch and the element 50 is released for swingable movement by rotation of the rod and swinging of the arm 62.

The inner push button assembly is so coupled with the rod as to be operated to either rotate the rod about its longitudinal axis or to shift the rod axially. Rotation of the push button is adapted to shift the rod axially. Axial depression of the push button is adapted to rotate the rod. The inner push button assembly comprises a push button 15 slidably and rotatably mounted within the housing 68 as shown in Figures 1 and '4 and adapted to be rotated or depressed axially. A cup 13 is secured to the push button and a sleeve TI is mounted within the housing 68 as shown in Figure 1.

A screw or the like 18 secures a toothed pinion to the push button as an axial extension thereof. This pinion engages a rack element 82 secured to the rod 60 as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Upon rotation of the push button the pinion and rack element 82 serve to shift the rod 60 axially. The pinion 88 has such an axial length that it remains engaged with the rack 82 at the depressed or outward position of the push button 15. An arm 84 is secured to the rod 60 and overlaps the head of the screw I8 which secures the pinion 80 to the push button I5 so that when the push button is depressed asshown in dotted line in Figures 1 and 4 this arm 84 rotates the rod 60, as heretofore described, to swing the locking element against the tension of its spring. The

spring 84 thatacts upon the locking element 8. acts therethrough and through the rod 80 and arm 84 to normally urge the push button to the solid line position shown in Figures 1 and 4.

It is apparent therefore that through the push button assembly and the rod 60 and the arm I! carried by the rod it is possible from inside the door to swing the locking element 50 to release the latch plate for withdrawal rotation or to lock the locking element 50 to prevent releasable rotation of the latch plate. When the rod 60 has been shifted axially and the swingable element 50 is locked against swingable movement it is not then possible to depress the push button and swing the swingable element. The push button can only be depressed when the rod 60 is retracted to the solid line position shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The lock mechanism is adapted to be released from the outer face of the door by a key-controlled device. There is a key lock barrel 88 rotatably supported within an outer push button barrel 90 and adapted to be key locked thereto in any suitablemanner by control through a key. This lock barrel and push button barrel as an assembly are held outwardly in a housing 92 by a spring 9| as shown in Figure 3. The housing 92 is secured to the door. This push button assembly is depressible counter the spring within the housing 92. The lock barrel is key rotatable through an arc of 180 within the housing 92.

Secured to the lock barrel to rotate therewith is a rod 96 which carries a lug 98. The rod is slidably received through an opening in the end I00 of the swingable locking element 50. This opening is elongate in shape so that when the rod 96 is rotated to bring the lug 98 to the position shown in dotted line in Figure 3 depression of the lock controlled push button assembly will merely cause the lug 98 to pass through the opening in the end I00 of the locking member. When the lug 98 is disposed as shown in Figure 3 in solid line depression of the key-controlled push button assembly will cause the lug 98 to swing the looking element 50 inwardly against its spring 54 to its dotted line position as shown in Figure 3 and release the latch plate to withdrawal rotation. Though the medium of the key it is possible to rotate the lock barrel to either one of these two positions. In either position the outer push button may be depressed. In one position it will be effective while in the other position it will be ineffective.

It will therefore be seen that the door may be locked from the inside by rotating the inner push button assembly and it may be locked from the outside by key rotating the outer push button assembly. When so locked it is not possible to obtain unauthorized entrance therethrough.

The lock on the inside may be released by reversely rotating the push button assembly. The same is true as to the lock on the outside of the door except that the outer lock is key-controlled. When the locking element is free for swinging movement it may be swung by depressing either push button assembly.

It will be noted that when the rod 60 is projected to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, at which time the arm 62 locks the swingable element 50 to prevent withdrawal rotation of the latch plate, that the end of the rod is projected sufficiently beyond the jamb face of the door to engage the striker plate. If a person opened the door of the car and left the car and inadvertently turned the inner push button to 6 project the rod 00 to lock the swingable element 50 and did this after leaving the car and then closed the door the contact of the end of the rod 80 with the outer face of the striker housing ll would force the rod inwardly so that such person would not be locked out of the car. It is not possible to lock oneself out of the car except with the key.

What I claim is: 1. In lock mechanism, a rotatable latch plate having a striker engaging catch portion, a stop, a spring rotatably urging the latch plate against the stop and to project its catch to engage a striker, a locking element swingable to one position at which the latch plate is held against withdrawal rotation of .its catch, an axially shiftable and rotatable rod coupled with the locking element to swing the same to release the latch plate upon rotation of the rod when the rod occupies one axially shifted position, a rotatably and axially depressible push button coupled with the rod to axially shift the rod upon rotation of the button and to rotate the rod upon axial depression of the button. 2. In lock mechanism, a rotatable latch plate having a striker engaging catch portion, a stop, a spring rotatably urging the latch plate against the stop and to project its catch to engage a strikes, a locking element swingable to one posi-f tion at which the latch plate is held against withdrawal rotation of its catch, an axially shiftable and rotatable rod coupled with the looking element to swing the same to release the latch plate upon rotation of the rod when the rod occupies one axially shifted position, said rod adapted in a second axially shifted position to hold the las ing element against swingable movement to release the latch plate, a rotatable and axially depressible push button coupled with the rod to axially shift the rod from one position to the other upon rotation of the button; said button adapted upon axial depression to: rotate the rod to release the latch plate when the rod occupies said one axially shifted position.

3. In lock mechanism, a rotatable latch plate having a striker engaging catch portion, a stop, a spring rotatably urging the latch plate against the stop and to project its catch to engage a striker, a locking element swingable to one posi tion at which the latch plate is held against withdrawal rotation of its catch and swingable to a second position at which the latch plate is released for withdrawal rotation of its catch,

an axially shiitable and'rotatable rod coupled with the locking element and adapted in one axial position to be rotated to swing the locking element to release thelatch plate to withdrawal rotation and adapted in a second axial position to hold the locking element against said swingable movement, and an axially depressible and rotatable push button coupled with the rod to axially shift the rod upon rotation of the button and to exert rotatable torque upon the rod upon depression of the button.

4. In lock mechanism, a rotatable latch plate .spring urged toward projected position to engage a striker, a stop against which the latch plate is held by its spring, a swingably supported locking element having one position at which the latch plate is held thereby against withdrawal rotation and having asecond position at which withdrawal rotation of the latch plate is permitted, rotatable and axially depressible push button mechanism coupled with the locking element to swing the same to release the I latch plate upon depression of the button when the button occupies one position of rotation, said button adapted upon rotation to a second position to hold the locking element against said swingable movement.

5. In lock mechanism, a rotatable latch plate having a striker engaging catch, a stop, a spring rotatably urging the latch plate against the stop and to project its catch to engage a striker, a rotatable and axially depressible push button, mechanism responsive to depression of the push buttonto release the latch plate for withdrawal rotation, said mechanism including means responsive to rotation of the push button to lock the latch plate against withdrawal rotation said means having a part adapted to engage the striker upon the closing of the door to release said mechanism from the position of locking the latch plate against withdrawal rotation.

6. In lock mechanism, a rotatable latch plate having a striker engaging catch, a stop, a spring rotatably urging the latch plate against the stop and to project its catch to engage a striker, rotatable and axially depressible push button mechanism including a rotatable and axially shiftable rod coupled with the push button for axial shifting and rotation thereby, means coupled with the rod adapted upon axial shifting thereof to a projected position outwardly toward the striker to prevent withdrawal rotation of the latch plate, means associated with the striker adapted to engage the rod to retract the rod, said rod adapted in the retracted position to be rotated by axial depression of the push button to release the latch plate to rotatable withdrawal.

7. In lock mechanism, a rotatable latch plate having a striker engaging catch, said latch plate being spring urged to project its catch to engage the striker, a shiftable locking element adapted in one position to hold the latch plate against rotatable withdrawal of its catch from the striker and adapted in a second position to permit'withdrawal rotation oi thelatch plate, mechanism including a manually rotatable and axially shiftable part adapted in one axially shifted position to maintain the locking element in position to hold the latch plate against rotatable withdrawal and adapted in another axially shifted position to be rotated to shift the locking element to permit withdrawal rotation of the latch plate.

8. In lock mechanism, a movable latch member having a keeper engaging catch portion, spring means urging the latch member to project its catch portion for engagement with a keeper, a lockingelement movable to one position to hold the latch member with its catch portion in projected keeper engaging condition and movable to a second position to release the latch member for withdrawal movement, an axially shiftable and rotatable rod operatively coupled with said locking element and adapted in one axial position to be rotated to move the locking element to the position to release the latch member for withdrawal and adapted in a second axial position to hold the locking element against movement and thereby hold the latch member against withdrawal, and an axially depressible and rotatable push button operatively coupled with said rod to axially shift the rod upon rotation of the button and to exert rotatable torque upon the rod upon depression of the button.

9. In lock mechanism for a door member, a rotatable latch plate having a striker engaging catch, said latch plate being spring urged to project its catch to engage the striker, a locking element spring urged to a position to hold the latch plate against withdrawal rotation, said locking element being swingable to a position to release the latch plate to withdrawal-rotation, mechanism manually operable to lock ,the locking element against swingable release movement including a part adapted to be projected toward the striker assembly to a position to be engaged by the striker in the closing of thedodr and when so engaged to be actuated thereby -to release the locking element for release movement.

10. In lock mechanism for a door a rotatable latch plate having a striker engaging catch, said latch plate being spring urged to project its catch to engage a striker, a swingable locking element spring urged to a position to hold the latch plate against withdrawal rotation, said locking element being swingable to a position to release the latch plate to withdrawal rotation, mechanism manually operable and having a part rotatable to swing the locking element to release the latch plateto withdrawal rotation and axially shiftable to lock the locking element against swingable release movement, said mechanism including means adapted to be projected into position for contact with a striker and operable upon door closing movement when engaged by the striker to be actuated to release the locking element to swingable release movement.

RAY W. SPRINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,346,656 Berghofi Apr. 13, 1944 

